Home Healthcare Services Industry Profile

The US home healthcare industry includes about 23,000 etablishments (single-location companies and branches of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of $56 billion. Major companies include Amedisys, Apria Healthcare Group, Gentiva Health Services, and Lincare Holdings. The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest companies generate less than 25 percent of revenue.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by demographics, developments in portable medical technologies, and patients' preference for in-home care. The profitability of individual companies depends on effective marketing and efficient operations. Large companies have some economies of scale in sales and marketing. Small companies can compete successfully by serving a local market. The industry is labor-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is about $56,000.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

The home healthcare industry includes medical and skilled nursing services; medical equipment, supplies, and medication services; personal care (such as bathing and transportation); therapeutic services (like physical and respiratory therapy); and psychosocial services (including counseling and spiritual care). Services include traditional home care (50 percent), home hospice care (22 percent), and home nursing care (12 percent). Companies treat patients who have a short-term need for care, such as after a hospital stay, as well as those with conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who require long-term treatment. Heart disease, diabetes, and cerebral vascular disease are among the most prevalent admission diagnoses for home healthcare patients. Some 70 percent of patients are age 65 and older.

The back-office operations of ...